AzTrials
AzTrials

Cigarette Smoking-Related CarcinomaNCT06230159

Evaluating the Impact of Synthetic Cooling Agents in Combustible Cigarettes on Smoking Perceptions and Use

A study testing Non-menthol Cigarette Smoking, Menthol Cigarette Smoking and Synthetic Cooling Agent Cigarette Smoking in people with Cigarette Smoking-Related Carcinoma, run by Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

This clinical trial evaluates the impact of synthetic cooling agents in combustible cigarettes on smoking perceptions and use. Menthol, a natural chemical, is a cooling agent that increases nicotine dependence among smokers. Menthol cigarettes largely contribute to the huge burden that smoking puts on public health. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 21 to 29 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Cigarette Smoking-Related Carcinoma
What is being tested?
Non-menthol Cigarette Smoking, Menthol Cigarette Smoking and Synthetic Cooling Agent Cigarette Smoking
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
34 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
28 Nov 2023to 12 Jun 2024
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 21 to 29 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Aged 21 - 29 years
  • Established cigarette user
  • Willing to provide informed consent and abstain from using tobacco products 12 hours prior to the three lab sessions
  • Read and speak English

Who cannot join

  • Recently coronavirus disease 2019 positive (COVID-19+) or a recent COVID-19 hospitalization
  • Self-reported unstable or significant psychiatric conditions
  • History of cardiac event or distress within the past 3 months
  • Are currently pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding
  • Currently attempting to quit using combustible tobacco products
  • Have suffered from any serious lung disease or infection in the past 30 days

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Columbus, Ohio, 43210

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Synthetic Cooling Agents in Combustible Cigarettes: A Pilot Study

This clinical trial evaluates the impact of synthetic cooling agents in combustible cigarettes on smoking perceptions and use. Menthol, a natural chemical, is a cooling agent that increases nicotine dependence among smokers. Menthol cigarettes largely contribute to the huge burden that smoking puts on public health. Approximately 43% of adult smokers smoke menthol cigarettes. Regulatory agencies have begun a ban on menthol. In response to the ban, the tobacco industry has introduced synthetic cooling agents as a flavorless replacement to provide the same cooling effects as menthol. Information gained from this trial may help researchers determine how the addition of synthetic cooling agents changes the appeal, abuse liability potential, and respiratory toxicity profile of combustible cigarettes.

Read the detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

  1. Assess the content of synthetic cooling agents in newly introduced cooling agent non-menthol, menthol, and traditional non-menthol cigarettes.

II. Assess the subjective effects and abuse liability of cooling agent non-menthol cigarettes.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE:

  1. Examine acute changes to pulmonary health associated with cooling agent cigarette use.

OUTLINE: Participants are randomized to use 1 of 3 cigarette conditions at 3 different study visits.

Participants participate in ad libitum smoking sessions with either a non-menthol control, menthol, or synthetic cooling agent cigarette condition once weekly (QW) over 3 weeks on study. Participants also participate in an ad libitum smoking session with either their usual brand cigarette or the study cigarette condition at the end of each study visit. Participants also undergo nasal swab collection over 5-10 minutes and spirometry and airwave oscillometry testing over 5-10 minutes pre- and post-smoking session at each study visit.

Being tested
Non-menthol Cigarette Smoking, Menthol Cigarette Smoking, Synthetic Cooling Agent Cigarette Smoking, Usual Brand Cigarette Smoking, Spirometry

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Non-menthol Cigarette SmokingBehavioural

    Smoke a non-menthol cigarette

  • Menthol Cigarette SmokingBehavioural

    Smoke a menthol cigarette

  • Synthetic Cooling Agent Cigarette SmokingBehavioural

    Smoke a synthetic cooling agent cigarette

  • Usual Brand Cigarette SmokingBehavioural

    Smoke usual brand cigarette

  • SpirometryDiagnostic test

    Pulmonary function test

  • Questionnaire AdministrationOther

    Survey questionnaires

  • Nasal Epithelial Lining FluidDiagnostic test

    Nasal strip inserted into the nare to collect nasal epithelial lining fluid.

Study groups in NCT06230159
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Menthol cigaretteActive comparatorParticipants participate in an ad libitum smoking session with a menthol cigarette for this condition. Participants also participate in an ad libitum smoking session with either their usual brand cigarette or the menthol study cigarette at the end of each study visit.
Receives: Behavioral: Menthol Cigarette Smoking; Behavioral: Usual Brand Cigarette Smoking; Diagnostic Test: Spirometry; Other: Questionnaire Administration; Diagnostic Test: Nasal Epithelial Lining Fluid
Non-menthol cigaretteActive comparatorParticipants participate in an ad libitum smoking session with a non-menthol control cigarette for this condition. Participants also participate in an ad libitum smoking session with either their usual brand cigarette or the non-menthol study cigarette at the end of each study visit.
Receives: Behavioral: Non-menthol Cigarette Smoking; Behavioral: Usual Brand Cigarette Smoking; Diagnostic Test: Spirometry; Other: Questionnaire Administration; Diagnostic Test: Nasal Epithelial Lining Fluid
Cigarette with synthetic cooling agentsActive comparatorParticipants participate in an ad libitum smoking session with a synthetic cooling agent cigarette for this condition. Participants also participate in an ad libitum smoking session with either their usual brand cigarette or the synthetic cooling agent study cigarette at the end of each study visit.
Receives: Behavioral: Synthetic Cooling Agent Cigarette Smoking; Behavioral: Usual Brand Cigarette Smoking; Diagnostic Test: Spirometry; Other: Questionnaire Administration; Diagnostic Test: Nasal Epithelial Lining Fluid

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Cigarette Chemical Contents

    Before participant recruitment began, chemical content analysis of 3 cigarettes of each study condition was performed. We used liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) to extract nicotine, WS-3, WS-23, and menthol from cigarette samples and quantified these analytes using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

    Measured: Approximately 3 months prior to start of participant recruitment

  2. Impact of Cooling Effects on Demand Via the Forced Choice Task

    At each study visit, after the participant has smoked the study cigarette, the participant must choose between smoking the study cigarette again, or smoking one of their own, usual brand cigarettes. Within each arm, the proportion of participants who opt to continue smoking the study cigarette will be reported. This will measure if demand for the study cigarettes is great enough to overcome the desire for the participant's own preferred cigarettes.

    Measured: After completion of study cigarette smoking session (Week 1, Week 2, Week 3)

  3. Abuse Liability Via Puff Topography - Total Smoking Time

    Will be measured with a topography device that records frequency, duration, and flow rate of cigarette puffs. These measures are combined to inform overall cigarette puff behavior. Greater frequency, duration, and flow rate of cigarette puffs suggest greater abuse liability.

    Measured: During study cigarette smoking session (Week 1, Week 2, Week 3)

  4. Abuse Liability Via Puff Topography - Average Puff Duration

    Will be measured with a topography device that records frequency, duration, and flow rate of cigarette puffs. These measures are combined to inform overall cigarette puff behavior. Greater frequency, duration, and flow rate of cigarette puffs suggest greater abuse liability.

    Measured: During study cigarette smoking session (Week 1, Week 2, Week 3)

  5. Abuse Liability Via Puff Topography - Average Flow Rate

    Will be measured with a topography device that records frequency, duration, and flow rate of cigarette puffs. These measures are combined to inform overall cigarette puff behavior. Greater frequency, duration, and flow rate of cigarette puffs suggest greater abuse liability.

    Measured: During study cigarette smoking session (Week 1, Week 2, Week 3)

  6. Abuse Liability Via Puff Topography - Average Inter-Puff Interval

    Will be measured with a topography device that records frequency, duration, and flow rate of cigarette puffs. These measures are combined to inform overall cigarette puff behavior. Greater frequency, duration, and flow rate of cigarette puffs suggest greater abuse liability.

    Measured: During study cigarette smoking session (Week 1, Week 2, Week 3)

  7. Abuse Liability Via Puff Topography - Average Puff Volume

    Will be measured with a topography device that records frequency, duration, and flow rate of cigarette puffs. These measures are combined to inform overall cigarette puff behavior. Greater frequency, duration, and flow rate of cigarette puffs suggest greater abuse liability.

    Measured: During study cigarette smoking session (Week 1, Week 2, Week 3)

  8. Cigarette Appeal

    Participants will complete the Appeal and Sensory Quality questionnaire after smoking each study cigarette. This questionnaire will ask participants to rate each study cigarette for appeal characteristics such as liking, willingness to use again, flavor intensity, pleasantness of taste, etc. on a scale of 0 (not at all)-100(extremely). Higher scores indicate greater liking, willingness to use again, flavor intensity, etc.

    Measured: Post study cigarette smoking session (Week1, Week 2, Week 3)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted30 Jan 2024
  2. Study start28 Nov 2023
  3. Primary completion12 Jun 2024
  4. Study completion12 Jun 2024

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
Using a cross-over double-blinded study design, we will study the abuse liability (including sensory characteristics and appeal) of newly introduced cooling agent non-menthol cigarettes.
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
34 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06230159
Sponsor's protocol ID
OSU-23208
Other IDs
NCI-2023-10761
Status last verified
Feb 2026
First submitted
4 Jan 2024
Last updated
3 Jun 2026
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Niu Z, Miller L, Keke CM, Rings V, Hinton A, Nshimiyimana JD, Brinkman MC, El-Hellani A, Wagener TL, Tackett AP. Appeal, sensory characteristics and puffing topography of 'cool non-menthol' cigarettes among young adults who smoke: a randomised cross-over pilot trial. Tob Control. 2026 Jul 24:tc-2026-060118. doi: 10.1136/tc-2026-060118. Online ahead of print.

    PubMed 42498634

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Non-menthol Cigarette Smoking, Menthol Cigarette Smoking and Synthetic Cooling Agent Cigarette Smoking in people with Cigarette Smoking-Related Carcinoma, run by Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 3 Jun 2026). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Cigarette Chemical Contents (time frame: Approximately 3 months prior to start of participant recruitment). The study lists 8 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06230159, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Jun 2026.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in